


Where is Steve?

by vizzie1



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Deserves Better, Bucky Barnes Feels, Friendship, Gen, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Somber tone, Tony Stark Feels, Unhappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 15:02:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14751131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vizzie1/pseuds/vizzie1
Summary: Just small snippets of various times in their friendship that Bucky has wondered "Where is Steve"Or: 4 times Bucky finds Steve, and 1 time he doesn't





	Where is Steve?

**Author's Note:**

> I don't really know what this is. I think this was really born out of my love for Bucky Barnes (mostly because I love Sebastian Stan), and I think that Steve is just a pretty horrible friend to him from the get-go.
> 
> The disclaimers: I own nothing and I have no beta. I'm also really bad at the whole tagging thing, so feel free to let me know if anything should be added/updated.
> 
> And be nice. No need to be rude.

Bucky and Steve had been partnered up in school five years ago and have been best friends ever since. They hang out on the weekends, have dinner at each other's houses on the regular, and sit next to each other in every class.

But today, Bucky just frowns at the empty seat to his right. It's not unusual for Steve to be late to school, but that doesn't stop Bucky from worrying about him. Between Steve's numerous illnesses and the fights he gets into, Bucky can't remember the last time he wasn't worried about the smaller kid. He raises his hand and asks the teacher, "Ma'am, where is Steve?"

She responds that he's ill again, but she knows Bucky well enough to warn him not to skip school to go check on him. Sarah Rogers can take good care of him, and Bucky is close to failing the year if he misses any more classes. Bucky makes it until lunch before ducking out of the school and running to the Rogers' apartment, relieved to see Steve's weak grin as his mother says that he'll eventually be just fine.

 

* * * * *

 

Mr. Johnson had given him a nickel yesterday for hauling around some of the bins in the back of the apartment building, so Bucky felt awful snazzy buying popcorn for him and Steve at the cinema. But when he got back to their seats, Steve was gone. He saw Freddie from their class a few rows back, and he whisper-yells across the rows, "Hey, Freddie! Where's Steve?"

Well, it looks like Freddie gets to eat their popcorn, as Bucky heads out the side door of the theater leading to the alley. He ends up with bruises on his face and ribs, but it isn't the worst beating he's gotten protecting Steve. When he looks over, Steve has a smile on his blood-stained face, and Bucky's just glad to see that the little punk is alright.

 

* * * * *

 

This is magic, Bucky thinks. No, this is _the future_. He's amazed by the displays of new technology in front of them. It's not enough to dispel the gloom that thoughts of tomorrow bring, but it does give him a bit more hope. This could possibly be his last night in America, and there's nowhere he'd rather be than here at the expo, with a lovely date and his best friend. He turns around to talk to Steve but finds the boy's date alone.

"Where is Steve?" he asks while glancing around for the boy. But Bucky has a sinking feeling that he already knows where Steve is. He just doesn't know what recruitment office the punk _hasn't_ gone to yet. All he can do is walk the girls home safely and then worriedly pace around the neighborhood, hoping he'll get to see his best friend before he ships off to war.

Relief rushes through him when he finally catches sight of Steve, slowly moping up the sidewalk. Bucky chastises the smaller boy, but when he turns on that faux-innocent smile, Bucky can only be glad that his friend is here, lucky enough to avoid arrest again.

 

* * * * *

 

The torture he'd been through and the hopelessness he'd felt are still weighing on Bucky, but he can't deny how glad he was to see Steve come to his rescue. Obviously, he's not happy that the punk is still hunting for trouble- even if he is somewhat more likely to survive it now- but Steve had saved his life, so he could only complain so much.

Bucky had come to the bar with plans to ignore the itch in his veins and the fog in his mind, but the alcohol wasn't hitting like it used to. And he wasn't feeling up to joining the other Howlies on the other side of the room, singing about as well as their unit name implies.

He'd been to hell and back in the last few days, but he hadn't expected much else when he'd received his draft notice. What he didn't expect was Steve, and he feels a little guilty that a part of him is glad to have his best friend by his side again. Speaking of Steve- "Hey guys!" Bucky yells across the room, getting the Howlies to break off their singing. "Any of you see where Steve wandered off to?"

"I saw him making eyes with that English skirt not too long ago," Dum-Dum animatedly replies. They all laugh when Gabe knocks him on the back of the head and reminds him that Peggy outranks all of them.

Peggy's probably better company than Bucky right now anyway, he thinks. So he just makes his way back to his tent and settles in for a night that will either be nightmare-filled or sleepless. It's looking to be the latter when Steve makes it to his own cot after some time. His friend's appearance may have changed a lot, but he still has that same smile as always. Just yesterday, Bucky thought he'd never see that smile again, so he lets the corner of his lips turn upward as he closes his eyes, waiting for daybreak.

 

* * * * *

 

Working with the neurologists, bio-engineers, and psychologists of Wakanda, Bucky has regained many memories that make him feel more like a human and many that make him feel more like a monster. It took him less than a week to be able to use the internet more adeptly than Steve, and he's been using it to learn about himself, his past, and the new world around him.

He started with Howard and Maria Stark, and then moved on to Tony Stark. Before he was kidnapped, Tony seemed to be pretty similar to how Steve described Bucky as a young man. But since then, they've both fought their own battles. He saw videos of the tech genius saving his loved ones and even saving the world. And he read about him having a breakdown, experiencing shell-shock, and unintentionally creating chaos and destruction. Yet, the way that Tony Stark so readily acknowledges his mistakes, sincerely apologizes, attempts to make amends, and never stops trying to do the right thing- Bucky can't help admire the man's courage and resilience. While _he_ hides away in Wakanda. Therefore, each time one of his fellow fugitives mentions Ultron as obvious proof of Tony's despicable and unforgivable character, Bucky can't help but wonder what they all must think about him.

Tony had fought alongside all of them. He'd thought of Steve as a friend. And when he needed help, he got hatred. When he was hurting, they hit him while he was down- literally. Is this how Steve Rogers treats his friends now? What happened to the little punk he used to know? Bucky can't help but look at the man smiling at him across the living room and wonder, _Where is Steve?_


End file.
